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How to get an insurance license in West Virginia. P&C: 20 pre-licensing hours. L&H: 20 hours. Government fees: $353.75 for both lines. 2 years renewal cycle. Verified 2026-03-22. Data verified 2026-03-22. Source: LicenseMap (getlicensemap.com).
Insurance Agent
Most information on this page has been verified.
91% of data points are verified against official sources. 2 fields based on preliminary research. We recommend confirming details with your state's licensing authority. See sources below · Report incorrect data
20 hrs
P&C Education
20 hrs
L&H Education
2 years
Renewal Cycle
$353.75
Gov. Fees (Both)
Insurance Producer
West Virginia licenses insurance producers by lines of authority with required pre-licensing education. P&C requires 40 hours, while Life and Health each require 20 hours. Exams are administered by Pearson VUE. Fingerprinting is required at initial application AND at each two-year renewal through IdentoGO.
Other Available Lines of Authority
20 hours of approved pre-licensing education required
Pre-licensing education required per major line.
Online courses: Allowed
West Virginia Property & Casualty Insurance Exam
Administered by Pearson VUE
158
Questions
70%
Passing Score
3.5 hours
Time Limit
$86
Exam Fee
P&C exam: 158 total questions (140 scored, 18 pretest), 3.5 hours. Passing score is 70% (scaled 0-100). Must appear for the exam within 90 days of receiving the Certificate of Pre-Licensing Completion. Exam scores are valid for 12 months.
20 hours of approved pre-licensing education required
Pre-licensing education required per major line.
Online courses: Allowed
West Virginia Life & Health Insurance Exam
Administered by Pearson VUE
89
Questions
70%
Passing Score
2 hours
Time Limit
$86
Exam Fee
Life exam: 89 total questions (78 scored, 11 pretest), 2 hours. Health exam: 91 total questions (80 scored, 11 pretest), 2 hours. Each exam is $86. Must appear within 90 days of receiving Certificate of Pre-Licensing Completion. Exam scores valid for 12 months.
Minimum Age
18 years old
Education
No formal education requirement beyond pre-licensing courses
Residency
Must apply as resident producer if domiciled in West Virginia
Background Check
Fingerprinting is required at initial application AND at each two-year renewal. Fingerprints must be submitted through IdentoGO using service code 228NS5. Fingerprints are valid for only 30 days after completion and must be submitted with your license application.
Fingerprinting
Required
Citizenship
Must have a valid SSN or FEIN
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Application Fee NIPR application fee plus $5.60 NIPR transaction fee | $50 |
P&C Exam Fee Property & Casualty combined exam fee through Pearson VUE | $86 |
L&H Exam Fee Life exam fee through Pearson VUE ($88 for Health exam) | $86 |
Fingerprinting Fee IdentoGO fingerprinting fee. Required at initial application and each renewal. Fingerprints valid for 30 days only. | $45.75 |
Total Gov. Fees (Single Line) Application ($50) + one exam ($86) + fingerprinting ($45.75) for one line of authority (P&C). Plus $5.60 NIPR transaction fee. | $181.75 |
Total Gov. Fees (Both Lines) Application ($50) + P&C exam ($86) + Life exam ($86) + Health exam ($88) + fingerprinting ($45.75). Note: Life and Health are separate exams with separate fees. | $353.75 |
Pre-Licensing Course Cost: $200-$500(per line)
Varies by provider. Per line. NOT a government fee.
Complete 40 hours of approved P&C pre-licensing education and obtain Certificate of Pre-Licensing Completion (PL 789E)
Register for the P&C exam through Pearson VUE (800-274-2614 or pearsonvue.com) within 90 days of receiving the certificate
Pass the P&C exam with a score of 70% or higher
Schedule fingerprinting through IdentoGO using service code 228NS5
Apply for your license through NIPR within 30 days of fingerprinting (fingerprints expire after 30 days)
Pay the $50 application fee plus NIPR transaction fee
Obtain appointment from at least one insurance carrier
Complete 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education for Life and/or 20 hours for Health
Obtain Certificate of Pre-Licensing Completion (PL 789E)
Register for the Life and/or Health exam through Pearson VUE within 90 days of certificate
Pass the exam(s) with a score of 70% or higher
Schedule fingerprinting through IdentoGO using service code 228NS5
Apply for your license through NIPR within 30 days of fingerprinting
Pay the $50 application fee plus NIPR transaction fee
Obtain appointment from at least one insurance carrier
Important: A license alone does not allow you to sell insurance
After obtaining your license, you must be appointed by at least one insurance company to sell their products.
Appointment fee: Paid by carrier
Non-resident producers apply through NIPR. West Virginia participates in the NIPR electronic licensing system.
Additional requirements: Non-resident applicants must hold a valid resident license in their home state
Renewal Cycle
2 years
Renewal Fee
$50
CE Required
24 hours per cycle
Ethics Hours
3 hours (included in CE total)
24 hours of CE every 2-year renewal period, including 3 hours of ethics. Fingerprinting must also be completed at each renewal.
Regulatory Board
Unique to West Virginia: West Virginia is one of very few states that requires fingerprinting at EVERY biennial renewal, not just at initial application. Fingerprints expire after only 30 days, creating a tight window for application submission. The state also has a 90-day window to take the exam after receiving the pre-licensing certificate, and online pre-licensing courses uniquely require a 3rd party proctor for certificate exams.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in West Virginia.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#51 of 51
Processing
#1 of 51
Based on May 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data for Insurance Sales Agents (SOC 41-3021)
Entry Level
$34,820
25th percentile
Median
$44,080
-27% vs. national avg ($60,370)Experienced
$63,850
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
1,770 employed in this state
Note: Insurance agent compensation is heavily commission-based. BLS OEWS data may not fully reflect total earnings including commissions and bonuses.
Source: BLS OEWS – Insurance Sales Agents (May 2024)
National employment projections for 2024-2034
Projected Growth
+4.7%
Average GrowthNew Jobs
+26,200
over 10 years
Annual Openings
41,200
per year (avg.)
555,200 currently employed nationwide (2024)
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (September 2025)
Insurance Career Ladder+50% salary growth potential
You are here
Insurance Agent
$44,080
Pre-licensing education + state exam
You are here
Insurance Agent
Pre-licensing education + state exam
$44,080
Adjuster licensing + claims experience
$66,020
Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024 for this state. Career paths represent common advancement routes — actual progression may vary. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook
Government fees and exam costs to obtain your initial license
Note: These are government licensing fees only. Education/training program costs (tuition, books, etc.) are not included as they vary widely by institution.
Source: West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner — Licensing Requirements
Estimated total: 4–10 weeks
Timeline estimated from licensing requirements on this page.
Source: West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner — Licensing Requirements
1–4 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner — Licensing Requirements
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